Key Aspects:

• Celebrity Cruises has named Captain Kyriakos “Kirk” Matragkas as the master of the upcoming fifth Edge-class ship, Celebrity Xcel.
• Matragkas has been with Celebrity Cruises since 2000 and is currently the captain of Celebrity Beyond.
• Also a talented musician, Matragkas often offers drum and guitar performances onboard his ships.

When the new Celebrity Xcel debuts in November 2025, she will have a very famous master at the helm, none other than Captain Kirk.

Beam this Star Trek fan up! Really? Yes, but not THAT Captain Kirk.

Celebrity Cruises has named Captain Kyriakos Matragkas as the vessel’s master. Early in his maritime career, Matragkas chose the nickname “Kirk” for himself, as his Greek name is challenging to pronounce.

Matragkas has excelled with the cruise line for 25 years, beginning in 2000 as a member of the launch team for the then-new Celebrity Millennium. More recently, he has served as the captain of Celebrity Beyond and previously of Celebrity Reflection, among other ships in the fleet.

Now, he will be leading the fifth Edge-class ship into service when she sets sail from Fort Lauderdale in November.

“Every captain has a story. Captain Kirk’s begins with rock ‘n roll, heart, and one unforgettable ‘yes.’ This November, he takes the helm of Celebrity Xcel,” Celebrity Cruises confirmed on social media. “​We can’t wait to sail with him.”

Born in Piraeus, Greece, Matragkas continues a proud seafaring tradition that is truly a family trade.

“My father was a Captain, and when school was out, I would join him on trips with my mother,” he said. “The different languages, different cultures, and history that I would be introduced to in each place fascinated me so much, that in combination with my love for the sea, made me want to follow in his footsteps.”

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It isn’t just the sea that Matragkas is passionate about, however. He flawlessly (even xcel-lently) combines his passion for travel with music, and is a talented multi-instrument player, including drums and guitar.

In fact, his guitar accompanies him on board his ships, and he has been known to join in playing sets and even offers shows during breaks in his more traditional seafaring duties.

His bold personality and musical charm, not to mention his quirky adaptation of a very famous moniker, have made him a favorite among Celebrity Cruises’ guests who are glad to see him take the helm of Celebrity Xcel.

Sailing With Captain Kirk

Celebrity Xcel is currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. Her keel was first laid in June 2024 and work has been full steam ahead ever since.

So productive has that work been that the vessel is able to debut earlier than originally scheduled.

While the original 5-night maiden voyage remains the same with a departure date of November 18, 2025, an additional 4-night “preview sailing” was added to Celebrity Xcel‘s schedule in April. That new first cruise will set sail on November 9, 2025 to visit Cozumel, Mexico.

For her regular schedule of cruises, Celebrity Xcel is offering 7-night sailings alternating Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean routes, visiting ports such as Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Bimini, and Grand Cayman.

Read Also: Celebrity Cruises Ships by Age – Newest to Oldest

On April 26, 2026, the new ship will set sail on a transatlantic cruise to Barcelona to begin her first summer in the Mediterranean, with departures planned from both the Spanish port as well as Piraeus, Greece, her captain’s birthplace.

Of special note is the September 13, 2026 departure from Piraeus to Barcelona, calling on Santorini, Ephesus, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Valletta. That 8-night voyage will be the annual President’s Cruise for Celebrity Cruises.

Celebrity Xcel will return to the Sunshine State in early November and homeport from Miami for the winter of 2026-2027.

In the months now leading up to her debut, there are still more details, crew assignments, and announcements to come, one of the biggest of which will be who the ship’s ceremonial “parent” will be.

Now, if Celebrity Cruises would only consider William Shatner as the ship’s godfather, what an “Xcel-lent” choice that would be!

Key Aspects:

• Celebrity Beyond arrived in Freeport, Bahamas, on July 21, 2025.
• The Edge-class vessel’s propulsion issues are being repaired at the Grand Bahama Shipyard, which is jointly owned by Royal Caribbean.
• Any impact on the ship’s July 27 sailing is still unknown.

The saga continues for Celebrity Beyond after the 2022-launched cruise ship developed propulsion issues at the end of her last sailing.

After making a late arrival in PortMiami on July 20 to disembark the up to 3,260 passengers onboard, the decision was ultimately made to cancel the already delayed July 20, 2025, voyage to allow ample time for repairs to be completed.

The Edge-class ship remained in Miami, Florida, overnight on July 20 to complete an initial assessment and start repairs, but has since relocated to Freeport, Bahamas, to complete the work.

Per cruise tracking data, she sailed to the Grand Bahama Shipyard at reduced speeds of approximately 14 knots per hour and arrived at around 6 p.m. local time on July 21.

The issue at hand has still not been confirmed, but it appears to be related to one of the ship’s Azipod engines.

Videos and photographs taken by passengers show that the 140,600-gross ton ship was operating with just one engine as she inched her way back to Miami.

It’s not clear how long the repairs will take at this time, but it’s not uncommon for cruise ships to visit dry dock to allow specialists to repair or perform maintenance on the engines.

Notably, this is also the first significant propulsion issue that the ship has suffered in her three years at sea.

What Does This Mean for the Next Sailing? 

At this time, there is no word on whether Celebrity Beyond’s next voyage will be delayed or cancelled.

The subsequent sailing is scheduled to embark from Miami on July 27 and sail to Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Falmouth, Jamaica; and Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.

If it is cancelled, booked passengers can expect ample compensation. Guests of the nixed July 20 sailing received full refunds, reimbursement for travel change fees, and a 100% future cruise credit for their inconvenience.

Read Also: How Big Is a Cruise Ship Engine?

But before cruisers panic, remember that Celebrity Beyond’s relocation to the Bahamas doesn’t mean she won’t make it back to Miami in time for the next voyage.

The Grand Bahama Shipyard is only 98 nautical miles from Miami, which is a trip that a fully functional cruise ship can make in as little as five hours. It will ultimately come down to how long the repairs will take.

There are shipyards in Miami that specialize in cruise ship repairs, such as RMK Merrill-Stevens and Jones Shipyard, but it’s possible that these facilities were not able to accommodate the Celebrity Cruises’ ship on such short notice.

Royal Caribbean, which owns Celebrity Cruises, is also a joint owner of the Grand Bahama Shipyard with Carnival and the Grand Bahama Port Authority.

This may have made it easier to secure a spot for the vessel, and perhaps get preferential pricing because of Royal Caribbean’s ownership status.

Guests hoping to board Celebrity Beyond on Monday morning, July 21, 2025 have learned that their sailing, which has already been delayed by one day, is now completely cancelled.

The news comes as the three-year-old ship is suffering from propulsion difficulties. Unfortunately, intermediate repairs are not enough to permit the ship to sail the 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary.

“During our previous voyage, the ship experienced a technical issue that affected its speed. While our teams have been working diligently, we need additional time to complete necessary assessments and repairs,” the email notification read.

“After carefully considering all options, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel the July 20, 2025 sailing.”

The options the cruise line considered may have included alternative ports of call that could be reached at slower speeds, such as the Bahamas, Grand Turk, or the Dominican Republic.

Unfortunately, at this time of year, those ports are already crowded with summer sailings and berths may not be available. It is also possible that the ship’s “technical issue” is more complex than initially believed and more in-depth repairs are necessary.

Guests aboard Celebrity Beyond‘s previous sailing, a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary, noted that the ship had slowed significantly during her return to Miami. Photos of the ship’s wake shared on social media seem to show just one of the Azipod engines functioning fully.

Of course, cruise ship propulsion systems are complex engineering marvels and it is possible the engine was taken offline to facilitate repairs on another part of the system.

As a result of her slower speed, Celebrity Beyond was delayed by a full day on her return to Florida, and did not arrive at PortMiami until Monday morning.

Generous Compensation Offered

While these are unusual circumstances for Celebrity Beyond, which just entered service in April 2022, Celebrity Cruise Line is doing everything possible to make up for their guests’ disappointment.

Not only are all travelers receiving a full refund of their now-cancelled cruise, including non-refundable deposits, but they are also receiving a future cruise credit for 100% of their cruise fare. The amount of the credit will vary based on individual guests’ fare prices and does not include other pre-purchased amenities.

The future cruise credit can be used for any Celebrity Cruises sailing within the next year, giving guests plenty of options to rebook on a different voyage. The new cruise does not have to be aboard Celebrity Beyond.

The cruise line is also offering reimbursement for alterations in flight plans as needed, as well as another hotel night. Change fees up to $200 per person for domestic (US) flights and $400 for international flights will be considered, and the hotel reimbursement is up to $250.

The hotel reimbursement is in addition to the Sunday-night hotel reimbursement already offered for the ship’s delayed return to Miami, and now gives guests time to make their travel plans to return home.

Read Also: Who Owns Celebrity Cruises?

Despite the generous compensation, impacted guests are naturally disappointed at missing out on their cruise vacation. Still, many appear to be making the most of the unexpected situation and visiting the Florida Keys or otherwise enjoying the Miami area instead, while making plans for their future free cruise.

At this time, there is no indication whether or not Celebrity Beyond‘s next sailing, another 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary, may be impacted.

Guests booked on that July 27 departure will want to stay in close contact with Celebrity Cruises in case of adjustments to their vacation plans.